Official Report 1195KB pdf
The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-19823, in the name of Keith Brown, on Scotland national football team qualifies for the 2026 FIFA world cup.
The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I invite those members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak buttons.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament congratulates the Scotland national football team on qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup; recognises that this marks Scotland’s first appearance at the tournament in 28 years and represents a significant moment for Scottish sport; commends the team on its thrilling 4-2 win over Denmark at Hampden Park, which secured qualification; acknowledges the quality and determination shown throughout the match, including Scott McTominay’s early goal from an overhead kick, Lawrence Shankland’s restoration of Scotland’s lead in the second half, and the dramatic stoppage-time goals from Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean, which sealed the result; further acknowledges the contribution of head coach, Steve Clarke, and all the staff supporting the national side; pays tribute to the Tartan Army for its passionate and positive backing of the team at home and abroad; notes the wider social, cultural and sporting benefits that participation in major international events can bring to communities across Scotland; wishes the national team every success as preparations begin for the 2026 World Cup finals; notes the pride that this achievement has brought to communities across Clackmannanshire and Stirling, and recognises the work of local clubs and volunteers in supporting grassroots football.
17:59
It is, of course, a genuine pleasure to open the debate. As a long-suffering Hibs fan, I want to say right at the start that if anyone had told me that one day I would be standing here celebrating a Scotland team that had qualified for the world cup thanks, in part, to a goal scored by Lawrence Shankland, given the team that he plays for, I would have said that they had spent too much time in the famous five stand hospitality—which is exactly what I did last Saturday.
However, football is full of surprises—and what a fantastic surprise this qualification has been for the whole country. It has given everybody a huge lift, and it will do so, I believe, all the way through to the group stages and beyond next year. For the first time in 28 years, Scotland is going to a FIFA world cup—and what a way for us to get there, with a 4-2 win over Denmark at Hampden. It was a match full of grit, flair and just enough nail-biting, buttock-clenching tension to confirm that—yes, once again—it was Scotland trying to qualify for a world cup.
I remember previous world cups; most of us will have our own memories of them. The first one that I remember was 1970, but the first one that Scotland qualified for was 1974, when Scotland went out without losing a match—the only team ever to have done so at that point.
For the 1978 world cup, I actually had a favourite manager in Ally MacLeod. It is not a popular view, but I think that having somebody who was very confident—perhaps overconfident—and positive about Scotland was a refreshing change from some of our previous managers.
In 1982, I did not see any of the world cup matches, as I was in the Falklands. I possessed a high-frequency radio, so many people came to me to find out what the scores were, but I never saw any of the matches until many months later.
However, I go back to that most recent match, with Scott McTominay opening the scoring very shortly after the start, and, to finish the job, the stoppage-time strikes from Kieran Tierney—I still think that that was the best of all the goals scored on that night; there were three fantastic goals to pick from—and from Kenny McLean, scoring from his own half, which sent Hampden into joyful mayhem.
The tartan army are the most passionate, positive and musical—and occasionally sunburnt—supporters on earth. From Mount Florida to Munich, they carry Scotland and our hopes with them. At the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee last week, we heard about the good job that they did for Scotland and its international reputation at last year’s European championships. We fully expect that they will do the same for us in north America next year.
As we celebrate this achievement, however, it is worth remembering that Scotland’s football story did not begin in 1872, or even in 1978 with Archie Gemmill’s hip-swivelling heroics. Our footballing heritage stretches back over almost five centuries. Just a few miles from my constituency sits Stirling castle, where, in 1981, workers repairing the Queen’s chamber found a small leather ball stuffed with a pig’s bladder wedged high in the rafters; it had been there since the 1540s. Today, it is recognised as the world’s oldest surviving football and is proudly displayed at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum.
In 2006, that same Stirling football went to the FIFA world cup, even though Scotland did not. It was there not to be kicked about, thankfully, but as part of a special exhibition in Germany celebrating the origins of the global game. Even before our modern national team made its return to the biggest stage, a wee leather ball from Stirling castle had already flown the flag for Scotland at a world cup. Would it not be fitting if, at the next world cup, the oldest football in the world was once again piped on at the opening ceremony of the north American games?
It also speaks to something bigger: that Scotland has not just played, but shaped, football. Indeed, in my view, Scotland invented football. When the modern game began to spread around the world, it was often Scots who carried it. The so-called “Scotch professors”—players and coaches who travelled across Britain, Europe and south America in the late 19th century—taught the passing, team-based style that became the foundation of modern football.
One of them, Thomas Donohoe, even has a statue in Brazil to recognise his role in establishing the game there. It is quite something that, in the land of Pelé, they built a monument to a lad from Busby, and it is proof that Scotland’s influence on world football has been lasting, global and profound. I think that it is true to say that Pelé once said that Scotland invented football and Brazil perfected it.
It is a remarkable thing to stand in front of a ball that tells us that football in Scotland is not just a sport, but a thread woven through royalty and ordinary folk alike, through centuries of community life, long before offsides and the video assistant referee—VAR—and long before anyone shouted, “He’s no offside, referee—get your eyes checked” and all the stuff that we say these days. Somebody in Stirling castle leathered a ball that high to get it stuck on the roof. Perhaps it was miskicked by a courtier in an early attempt to avoid taking responsibility for a wayward pass. Nevertheless, it is hugely important that that ball—the oldest football in the world—was found in Scotland.
Just as it did with golf, Scotland gave the world the game of football. Ged O’Brien, the football professor, has referred to football being played in the 1500s in Scotland; indeed, there is reference to a game of football and attempts by landowners to stop the game being played.
So, when Andy Robertson goes up to lift the world cup, football will be truly “coming home”, as I think they call it. The humble leather ball connects the courtyard of Stirling castle to Hampden park and now to stadiums across north America.
Speaking of history, I should point out that Dunblane, in my constituency, has its own special place in Scotland’s world cup folklore. In 1978, the national team, before heading to Argentina, stayed at the Dunblane Hydro hotel—and who joined them? It was Rod Stewart, who recorded the world cup single “Ole Ola” with the squad. It was, in many ways, the most Scottish thing imaginable: a glamorous superstar, a hopeful squad and a song that still echoes through karaoke machines to this day—though never quite in tune.
I remind members who might not be aware—because I bought it, and I still have it as a 45 single—that one of the lines is, “Ole ola”—
—we’re gonna bring the world cup back from over thar.
—we’re gonna bring the world cup back from over thar. [Laughter.] So, “ola” rhymes with “thar”—there you go.
Anyway, as we look ahead, we now know exactly what awaits us in 2026. Scotland have been drawn in a group that will test us and excite us. Once again, we are playing our old adversaries, Brazil—I know that they were terrified of getting Scotland in the draw, but they have been unlucky once again.
We look forward to those matches, and they will give the tartan army two cracking destinations. Our opening matches will place Scotland on a global stage in two iconic cities: Boston, with its deep sporting culture and historic Scottish ties, and Miami, where I suspect that the tartan army will do its level best to out-sing the palm trees. Those are venues fit for a nation that is returning to the world cup with ambition and belief, and I have no doubt that the players will rise to the occasion, just as the supporters will.
However, our footballing spirit lives not only in history books or national anthems, but in grass-roots clubs, which are the lifeblood of our communities. Twice over the summer, I visited Sauchie Juniors Football Club, one of my local teams, to see the work that it does with young kids. Some of those kids are not even particularly interested in football, but they really value the time that they have, with some instruction, to be able to kick a ball around with their friends in some of the most deprived parts of my constituency. What Sauchie Juniors does is fantastic.
The same is true of Tullibody St Serf’s community club, also in my constituency—and I am sure that it will be true of clubs in many members’ constituencies. There are volunteers standing on touchlines in horizontal rain, washing kits, running minibuses and coaching young people who dream of becoming the next Andy Robertson or Caroline Weir—and let us hope that Scotland can succeed in hosting the FIFA women’s world cup in the future.
Without those individuals volunteering and carrying out so much of the work, there would be no national team, no Hampden roar and no world cup dream. That is why this qualification matters so deeply: it lifts spirits, inspires young people and energises communities. In Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, and across Scotland, people have taken real pride from our national team reaching the finals. It connects our past, our present and the future that we want for our young people.
I have written to Mr Infantino, the president of FIFA, to ask whether we can get the ball taken across to the United States and on to the pitch at the first match. The president’s son has already spoken very warmly of the fact that Scotland have qualified, so I am sure there will be a great deal of good will if he can do that.
Today, we congratulate Scotland’s national team and Steve Clarke and his staff; we salute the tartan army; we celebrate the clubs and volunteers who keep the game alive; we honour a history that stretches from Stirling castle to south America; and we wish our team every success as preparations begin for the 2026 world cup.
And if Shankland scores the winner in the final—well, even as a Hibs fan, I promise that I will cheer.
We move to the open debate.
18:09
I take this opportunity to thank my friend and colleague, Keith Brown, for being the first off the starting blocks with his motion. I know that quite a few members lodged similar motions to secure a debate on the subject.
It is a great honour to talk about Scotland’s qualification for the world cup finals. To be honest, if I cannot play for the team, I might as well watch and talk about them, and this is one of the best things that has happened to our national team in a long time.
I remind members that, of course, it all starts in Paisley, because Kenny McLean, John McGinn and Stevie Clarke all started their football careers at St Mirren. Members do not need to thank me too soon; I am quite willing to wait for them all to be grateful for the Paisley connection that has got us to the Americas for the world cup.
In my lifetime, Scotland has qualified seven times for world cup finals, most of them when I was in short trousers. My first adult world cup was in 1990; I watched, I suffered and I experienced what would become a lifetime of heartache.
We lost to Costa Rica 1-0, beat Sweden 2-1 and then went down to Brazil 1-0, courtesy of a scrappy goal in the 81st minute. I still have not quite got over that—I have never forgiven Jim Leighton, who was normally a very good goalkeeper, for managing to let that goal in. Do not even ask me what I think about Gary McAllister’s penalty against England in Euro 96—just do not mention his name.
I remember 1978, when—to be fair to the late, great Ally MacLeod—we had a fantastic team. However, we were beaten 3-1 by Peru. My dad started the game in the house in full Highland regalia; by half-time, he was in jeans and a T-shirt. Next, we drew 1-1 with Iran. Then there was that famous night against the Netherlands, which almost became the miracle of Mendoza when Archie Gemmill—from Glenburn in Paisley, incidentally; he started his career at St Mirren, too—became an absolute legend as he single-handedly took on a team that would go on to be beaten by Argentina in the final.
We went home too soon that time, but quite a few of the tartan army stayed behind and—if memory serves us all correctly—a few found love along the way. In 1982, there was more heartbreak. We were drawn against Brazil, again, and Dave Narey scored the famous “toe-poke”—as Jimmy Hill called it—to put Scotland ahead, out-Zicoing the great Zico, but then Zico equalised with a free kick of pure genius in the 33rd minute.
In 1986, in Mexico, Uruguay kicked us off the park. The emotional scars still remain, although I remember, in that world cup, Diego Maradona being rather handy.
By 1998, I was newly married to Stacey, and the opening game was—again—against Brazil. There seems to be a pattern there. John Collins equalised in the 38th minute, and Brazil replied with an own goal in the 74th. The pubs in Scotland erupted and Stacey and I celebrated as if we had actually won the world cup ourselves. That is what being a Scotland fan is all about. It is about the hope, the heartbreak, the fun—and above all, it is about our pride.
On 18 November this year, Stacey and I went to Hampden park, more in hope than expectation. By the 80th minute, Stacey whispered, “Do you want to leave early? We can get the car out of the car park at this point.” She clearly wanted to stay away from a meltdown with me stuck in the car park knowing that we had to go through the play-offs.
However, as a Scotland fan, I knew that we never do it the easy way—we never take the easy route—and in the 93rd and 98th minutes, the impossible became a reality. The tartan army celebrated as one, and—yes—Stacey’s north-stand celebrations went a wee bit viral when I put them on the socials.
We are heading to the Americas, and the world will see what Scots can do. Bill Shankly famously said, “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you it is much more serious than that.” I can tell members that, at 56, I am just as excited about the world cup finals as I was in 1978—the only difference is that I am no longer obsessed with collecting Panini stickers for my album.
Football is important to Scots. It is more than a pastime—it is part of who we are. It brings communities together, defines our identity and inspires hope through the heartache. For many, it is what makes us Scottish. It is in the cheers, the tears and the shared memory of Archie Gemmill’s goal, Dave Narey’s toe-poke and the joy of Hampden on that cold November night.
Football is Scotland—football is our soul. It is what unites us, excites us and—yes—sometimes breaks our hearts, but it always reminds us of who we are. When the tartan army takes to the Americas, the world will see that, too. We Scots do not just play football—we live it. It is in our laughter, our pride, our stories—
Mr Adam, I have been generous, but you will need to close.
—and the bonds that are passed on from generation to generation. That is why football is more than a game to us. It is Scotland itself: it is our heritage—
Thank you.
—our joy, our heartbreak, our hope—
Thank you, Mr Adam. Thank you very much—
—and it makes us Scots.
Thank you.
Before I call the next speaker, I remind members that there is evidently a lot of interest in the debate, so back-bench speeches will be up to four minutes. That is what members signed up to when they volunteered their names to speak in the debate.
With that, I call Brian Whittle.
18:14
Are we sitting comfortably, Deputy Presiding Officer?
I congratulate Keith Brown on getting out of the traps early in lodging the motion and securing the debate. I was going to come along tonight just to listen to the debate, and then I decided, why not bask one more time in the reflected glory of the Scotland team qualifying for the world cup?
As I have said previously in the chamber—unfortunately, the member in question has just left the chamber—I watched the match in the Parliament bar, as we had all just piled out of a committee meeting, with Stuart McMillan, Liam McArthur and the indomitable, the indefatigable, the inimitable and the inflatable Kenny Gibson, who went from the mild-mannered gentleman we all know and love to a complete maniac. The fact that the four of us were jumping about crazy in the Parliament bar—four people who members might not expect to be together—and the way in which we collectively celebrated the result tells us everything about football and about sport.
The other reason why I wanted to speak in the debate was that I knew that George Adam would be speaking, and I wanted to remind him that a Scottish Tory was his childhood hero and that a Scottish Tory also coached his beloved St Mirren. I am taking some of the glory for St Mirren—that strangled route through St Mirren into the Scotland team.
Those of us who are of a certain vintage reflect back on a time when we always qualified for the world cup. The first world cup that I remember as a kid was in 1974, with Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer and so on. I got to play golf with Peter Lorimer in Montrose one day—what a gentleman he was. I always remember 1974—as has been said, we came out as the only undefeated team. I always picture, in my head, Billy Bremner sliding in at the back post and knocking the ball against the post, when we could have actually won. I also remember when we had to beat Yugoslavia. They went 1-0 up, and then Scotland gave us hope—as they always do—towards the end of the match when they equalised, but we did not go through.
With Ally’s army, in 1978, we were going to win the world cup. He convinced the whole of Scotland, me included, that we were going to win. I remember Joe Jordan scoring for us to go 1-0 up against Peru, and then they equalised. Don Masson missed a penalty and they went 2-1 up, with Scotland eventually losing 3-1.
However, 1978 gave us one of the best goals that we will ever see: Archie Gemmill’s goal against Holland. Again, Scotland gave us hope—that glimmer of hope—but they never quite get there. I remember 1982, 1986 and 1998—and, now, here we are again, on our way to lift the world cup.
I just want to say, on a serious note, that we have a fantastic summer of sport coming our way with the Commonwealth games and the world cup. I hope that we do not just grasp the opportunity to be Scotland, the passionate watchers of football, but use it to create opportunities for our youngsters, who are inspired to take part by our great athletes and footballers. We have to use these fantastic experiences to give our kids those opportunities. I ask the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy and Sport if she will tell us, in her closing remarks, how we will ensure that there is a legacy from those fantastic events.
Once again, I congratulate my friend and colleague Keith Brown on bringing the debate to the chamber.
18:19
I, too, thank Keith Brown for lodging the motion for debate, which I was delighted to support. As was mentioned earlier, a number of motions were lodged the day after Scotland qualified—I think that there were more motions lodged than we scored goals against Denmark.
Scotland’s qualification has united the Parliament and the country, and rightly so. It has been a long 27-year wait, but we finally have a world cup to look forward to, in 2026, when we can cheer on our men’s national team.
This is a massive achievement, and huge congratulations must go to Steve Clarke, the whole squad and the coaching staff for their incredible effort. The team were fantastic, topping group C and scoring 13 goals. I have no doubt that Scott McTominay’s overhead kick, Kieran Tierney’s screamer—I agree with Keith Brown that that was the best goal of them all—and Kenny McLean’s ridiculous goal from the halfway line against Denmark are moments that we will be talking about for many years to come.
It is absolutely right that we celebrate our home-grown talent and our achievements. Like George Adam, I think that we need to give a special nod to former St Mirren players John McGinn and Kenny McLean, who both played an invaluable part in that success.
There is no doubt that all the men on the park and those behind the scenes played their part, too, but, as others have said, we also need to pay credit to members of the tartan army and all the fans who continue to back the team following years of ups and downs. They never gave up and have given the team and the manager fantastic support.
To see the celebrations of the fans being shared across the world was something special. That is why I was disappointed by UEFA’s initial decision to remove social media videos of fans celebrating. Quite often, there is an ugly side to social media, so to take down such content was wrong. I called out UEFA for that decision and asked it to think again. Thankfully, it has seen sense and has apologised to Scotland fans.
Last Friday, most of us were glued to our televisions watching the world cup draw. Maybe the less said about the event side of the draw the better, but I have to say that, with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti, we are in a good group. We should look forward to that, and I know that the current squad has nothing to fear.
I add my voice to the growing concerns about ticket prices. Dynamic pricing should have absolutely no place in our game, and tickets should be affordable, because football without fans is nothing.
This tournament is more than just a sporting event; as we have heard, it is a profound cultural moment. For every Scot under the age of 30, this will be the first world cup that they remember our men’s team competing in. As Brian Whittle rightly said, it is an opportunity to inspire a generation. We must use it as a catalyst to invest in our young people in order to match their ambition with a lasting legacy. It would be helpful to hear from the minister whether the Scottish Government intends to keep its commitment to double the sports budget to £100 million in this parliamentary session, because that would enable this event to leave a lasting legacy for future generations of Scots.
To make this a truly shared national celebration, we must also facilitate participation for fans who will not be able to travel to North America. Although the kick-off times are late here—or early in the morning—I urge local authorities and licensing boards to consider what they can do to bring people together to watch the games here. This is a moment for our nation to come together, to unite, to celebrate and to enjoy. Let us ensure that the world cup next year is open to everyone, whether at home or abroad.
All that is left to say is to wish Steve Clarke and the whole team the very best ahead of next summer.
18:23
On Tuesday 18 November, I arrived at Hampden park for the opening of the gates at 6.15. I walked in with a few other early birds and stood thinking what the stadium would be like at 9.45. Four minutes in, after the Scott McTominay wonder goal, the dream was on. Then, Denmark scores and the old fears return. Shankland scores again. Hopes rise. Denmark scores again. Six minutes of injury time goes up and even now I feel good about our chances. The ball falls to Kieran Tierney. What a strike, what a feeling! Eight minutes into six minutes of injury time, and the nerves are shot. Kenny McLean wins the ball and shoots. What an incredible feeling as the ball hits the back of the net—“Freed from Desire” blasts out and it sinks in: Scotland have qualified. The passion and love for football is unrivalled. The whole country goes crazy; scenes from pubs and homes are shown from all over Scotland. My flights and accommodation are booked. The ticket scramble now awaits.
What does qualifying for the world cup mean to football more generally in Scotland? It means a few things. It must leave a legacy for our youth game, with investment in the grass roots and, of course, the elite youth set-up—I say that as someone who had the pleasure to coach at that level with Hibernian for 11 years. I note that the Scottish Football Association recently announced that it will not continue its performance schools, which produced players such as Billy Gilmour. There is also talk of reducing support to Club Academy Scotland’s youth academies, which would be a retrograde step. We need further investment in those academies, so that players can play for our clubs at a younger age. We need further investment in the women’s and girls’ clubs and academies. The success of the investment in academies by the French Football Federation and the English Football Association demonstrates that. On the back of the financial benefits of the world cup, we need to invest in our youth game and our women’s game, and we will reap the benefits of doing so.
Many of us have campaigned for Scotland matches to be shown on terrestrial television. Thankfully, a deal was agreed before the Denmark game, which meant that those who were not fortunate enough to have tickets could enjoy—and endure—every minute of the qualifying campaign on BBC Scotland, and a generation of Scotland fans were able to witness something that they had never witnessed before in their lifetime. However, in the aftermath of that game, one thing that was overlooked was that the deal with the BBC to broadcast the qualifying matches ran only until the end of that campaign, and it is likely that future qualifying campaigns will again be available only on subscription services. I believe that the home nations’ international matches and women’s competitive matches should be available for all to watch and should be included in Ofcom’s list of category A sporting events, which must be shown on free-to-air television.
We all know that the members of our magnificent Scotland team are huge role models for our children and young people, and they will no doubt inspire our next generation of football players. Along with that, however, come responsibilities, one of which is the responsibility to stop exploiting children on behalf of the alcohol industry. Big alcohol brands, familiar and not so familiar, will be queuing at the door of Scotland’s football authorities to sponsor the team and to get their brands in front of the customers of today and tomorrow. That type of marketing is designed to boost sales by attracting new consumers and targeting heavy drinkers, but it also results in young people starting to consume alcohol at an earlier age and increases the chances of binge drinking. I expect and encourage the football authorities to take their responsibilities seriously and reject alcohol sponsorship in favour of industries that do less harm in our country.
I thank Keith Brown for lodging the motion. We all know the passion that football inspires, and, like Keith Brown, I am a long-suffering Hibs fan. Let us enjoy the build-up to the world cup. As they say: no Scotland, no party.
18:26
I thank Keith Brown for lodging the motion. As others have said, what a moment for Scotland, for sport and for football. We are a nation of football fans, and on that night in November, many of us were on the edge of our seats. The motion says that the game was “thrilling”, but my husband and my children said that it was more nerve-wracking than thrilling.
Over the next six months, we will discuss our chances, debate the draw, look at who we will be playing, where we will be playing, how we get tickets and how those of us who are in Scotland will manage the time difference—I am sure that many of us will need to set timers and alarms to make sure that we see all the games, as the United States has various time zones.
What a moment it was for Scottish sport, but also what a moment it is for health, wellbeing and football right across Scotland, not just for the elite sport that we see in our men’s football. Seeing role models like the players who took part in the game that night on our televisions, on social media, in magazines and at events is important. I hope that the Scottish football authorities, our elite footballers and the Government will use this great opportunity to make decisions that support our communities to be active, healthy and quite hopeful. I hope that all involved will see that they have a responsibility to use this chance to promote wellbeing and, as Keith Brown has said, the work of our volunteers across football and other sports. It is important to recognise everybody who comes together to make sure that all those things happen for our nation.
I have really enjoyed everybody’s speeches. I congratulate the national men’s team, thank them for the joy and ask them to ensure that their participation in the world cup leaves a long-lasting legacy for the health and wellbeing of Scotland as a nation.
18:29
I, too, congratulate Keith Brown on securing this debate. Having confessed previously and publicly that sport, either as a participant or fan, is not in my DNA, colleagues might wonder—or perhaps not—why I have opted to speak in this debate. My motivation was that there appeared to be not one woman down to speak, and I thought that I had better step in, so I welcome the company of Carol Mochan. Even the sport-immune Christine Grahame cheered at the Scotland team securing that elusive place in the world cup, and doing it with such style, so here I am.
At first, it seemed that defeat was going to be snatched from the jaws of victory, which is so often the way of things with a Scotland team, but then—wow—those two extraordinary goals. The team played with heart and determination as well as flair. I will come to what that means for youth football but, first, I will say that I have been here before. I embraced Ally’s army during the 1978 world cup. Then, it was about panache, style and razzamatazz and not so much about skill. We were all full to the brim with the overrated and oversold expectations of the charismatic Ally MacLeod—bless him.
I repeat that today’s squad have heart and determination as well as skills. Their impact on the younger generations will be hugely positive.
Penicuik Athletic Football Club has been part of the town since 1888, built on volunteers, families and local sponsors. Penicuik Athletic Youth Football Club now runs more than 20 boys and girls teams—from the tiny early touches for four and five-year-olds through to the teenagers—so hundreds of young people are growing up active and confident. Football also gives them a place to belong.
It is not just about boys football anymore; girls football in Penicuik is booming, with dedicated squads in multiple age groups, matching the national picture, where female participation is now at a record high.
Arniston Rangers Youth Football Club in Gorebridge has some 300 youngsters between the ages of 2 and 16 playing. The number is growing rapidly each year given Gorebridge’s ever-expanding population, mostly of young families. There are games for many age groups, with Gore Glen being a great place to watch football each weekend. There is a girls section, with teams playing across age groups.
I cannot pass up the opportunity to welcome you into the fold of sport, now that you have been converted to recognise the power of sport.
Always speak through the chair.
I do not quite know how to react. That went a wee bit too far in praising me, but I will take it.
The Arniston club has a home at Gore Glen pavilion and an astro facility at Arniston park. Next, I hope that we will see boys and girls teams running right through the youth age groups.
Football is not just about the Hampdens, roaring full on a Saturday, but about local parks that are bursting with excitable teams and youngsters. There are more than 160,000 grass-roots players across the country. Most of them are under 18—all dreaming, playing, learning, and building the future of the game.
The Scotland team is an inspiration to those youngsters and—I say this to Mr Whittle—as a sports agnostic, I wish the Scotland team and our ambassadors, the tartan army, well.
18:33
It is a great pleasure to speak in this debate, and I thank Keith Brown for lodging the motion.
What a fantastic achievement from Steve Clarke and the team. Before I reflect on that amazing Tuesday night a few weeks ago, I want to, as others have done, think back to the last time we were at the word cup, particularly to 10 June 1998. I was in sixth year at Coatbridge high school, and I remember the buzz that day. Everybody had their “See you, Jimmy” hats on—they were the thing at the time—and, of course, the school closed early to let everyone go home and get ready for the game.
I recall getting changed in PE, which was the last lesson, and everybody could not wait to get home. I walked the short distance—about a mile or so—between the school and my house. When I got back to our street, my dad had put Scotland flags up on a rope that went between my house and what was my gran’s house at the time, on the other side of the street. It was an unbelievable feeling that day. Even the narrow defeat by Brazil, as others have mentioned, could not dampen all our spirits.
However, what none of us knew on 10 June 1998 was that we would wait 28 years to do it again. During that time, the men’s team have been to two Euros, under the stewardship of Steve Clarke, and the women’s team flew the flag at the world cup. I enjoyed each of those tournaments, where the boys and girls did us really proud, but I think that there is something extra special about the men’s world cup, probably because it is the original one and has that prestige—I think that we can all feel it.
The buzz around the nation for the world cup is going to be amazing, whether you are there or at home. I hope that that buzz lasts right up until 19 July. As others have said, who knows?
A couple of weeks ago, I was there with my eldest son, Ceard, who has been with me at all the home games in recent years. Some were great and some were not—car trips, bus trips, traffic jams, pouring rain and the Georgia game. It was all worth it for that night.
I had a feeling that we were going to make the tournament, but nobody could have written just how it worked out. It was an amazing conclusion to the game, and I am going to admit on the record that I had a wee cry when I came out of the stadium that night. I do not really know why. Ceard said, “Dad, why are you crying? You should be happy.” I said, “Yes, I am happy.”
I am sure that my screen time went up rapidly in the days afterwards as I caught those goals over and over again. They were some of the most amazing goals in Scotland’s history and all in one game. As everyone is picking their favourite goal, mine was McTominay’s.
I have some more serious requests for the Government that come out of this debate. I know that some of them are not the minister’s responsibility, which is fair enough, but the debate gives us a wee chance to raise them. First, we need to harness this moment for the grass-roots game. Through my work on the future of football in Scotland cross-party group, I know that grass-roots football has major problems, such as access to pitches and access for those with disabilities. The growing girls game also needs more space. I still hope to bring a members’ debate on that issue before the end of the session, but I believe that we need to capture this moment to improve things for the next generation. If we do not do that, how long will we wait for another? That is really important.
Other members have mentioned licensing hours. I know that that is not the minister’s responsibility, but the times are what they are. Local pubs would probably appreciate some clarity from the Government on that, although there is an election between now and the tournament taking place. Whether it is pubs or other events, it is important to give our businesses a financial boost.
Paul McLennan raised the issue of TV rights. We need to continue that campaign, because it is important that our men’s and women’s international games are on free-to-view TV.
Finally, I request that the Scottish Government continues to be a voice for good in the run-up to this global event. Tickets need to be affordable. We need to put our voice to that. The ticket prices are shocking. The world cup should be for everyone, regardless of nationality, race, sexuality, religion or anything else, without exception. If there are any concerns about that, we should be the first to speak out against it. I am sure that it will be for everybody. It is a showcase event, and it needs to be for absolutely everybody in the world who wants to be involved in it.
I will end by simply congratulating Steve Clarke and the Scotland men’s team on a fantastic achievement. I cannot wait until next summer to see how far we get, and I am sure that it will be far.
18:37
I thank everyone who has contributed to a lovely debate. It clearly means a lot to members in the chamber and people across the country. It is estimated that 900,000 people a week engage with football in Scotland, which is not bad for a nation of 5.5 million people. The Scottish premiership’s 18.5 attendees per 1,000 people at last season’s matches was the greatest attendance in Europe, by a country mile. In fact, it was 70 per cent higher than the next highest attendance in football. Football holds a special place in the nation’s hearts.
This evening, we have recognised the historic significance of the achievement of Steve Clarke and his squad. A whole generation has grown up without seeing Scotland’s men participating in the world cup finals, while wishing we were there. Of course, the women made it in 2019 and, as in all things, I commend the men for following our lead.
Since 1998, which was the last time that the men’s national team graced the world’s biggest stage, football has evolved. Nations have risen and fallen, but Scotland’s dream has endured. Our qualification ends a 28-year drought and marks a historic comeback for the tartan army. It is a reminder that perseverance pays off and that the spirit of Scottish football is as strong as ever.
I am sure that everyone was glued to their screens on Friday night, perhaps for a little longer than we anticipated, watching the draw. When we finally got to it, we were, once again, drawn to face Brazil and Morocco, with an opening match against Haiti in Boston. The match times are not ideal for those of us watching here in Scotland, but I am confident that we will manage.
The emotional and personal impact that football can have cannot be overstated. In fact, I have been thinking back to five-year-old me, who was pretty invested in Ally’s army and fully expected us to lift the cup in 1978. The way in which we qualified this year will live for ever in Scottish folklore. In the space of a few days, we went from losing in Greece and facing a potentially difficult play-off route, to that dramatic 4-2 win—over a really good Denmark team—sealed with two fantastic stoppage-time goals. Andy Robertson called it
“one of the greatest nights of my life”,
and dedicated the achievement to his late team-mate Diogo Jota. I am sure that many fans who watched that game also considered it to be one of the greatest nights of their lives. Across Scotland, pubs, homes and streets erupted in celebration.
This is more than football. It is a unifying force for the nation. It is about mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, grandparents and grandchildren all sharing a moment that binds us together.
Keith Brown reminded us that Scotland is home to the oldest football in the world and that our passion for the game in Scotland was taken to South America, where Brazil and Argentina also caught the bug. Scotland and England played the first officially recognised international football match. Scotland invented the modern game, and we wrote the rules down. Therefore, it is no wonder that our nation is so excited about our qualification. We love football and have done so for a very long time.
We know that the economic and social impacts of participating in the finals can be significant. Scotland’s qualification secures multimillion-pound payments from FIFA—funds that can transform grass-roots development and youth academies.
Crucially, qualification inspires the next generation. Young players now see a pathway to the biggest stage, fuelling participation and ambition.
We also need to harness the excitement and anticipation around the world cup to encourage people to get out and be active and play sports with their friends or meet new friends. We know that engaging in regular physical activity is one of the best things that we can do to maintain and improve our physical and mental health, and moments such as this can inspire people to do that.
I am very glad to hear of Neil Bibby’s commitment to doubling the sport budget, and I look forward to Labour demanding extra investment in sport during the budget negotiations and, crucially, voting for it this year. Thousands of Scottish fans will also be inspired.
I very clearly asked the minister whether she would provide clarity on whether the Scottish Government would meet its promise to double the sports budget in this session of Parliament. The sports budget was £50 million in 2021 and it is still around £50 million. Will the Scottish Government meet the promised target?
That is certainly still our ambition, Mr Bibby, but, as I said, it would be much appreciated if Labour would, this year, engage in the negotiations and, crucially, vote for any extra investment that is forthcoming.
Thousands of Scottish fans will be inspired to travel to north America, showcasing our nation and culture on a global stage. Euro 2024 will be remembered for many things, although, from our point of view, perhaps not for the actual football. Above all, it will be remembered for the fans and, among them, one group stood out—the tartan army. Scotland might not have lifted the trophy, but, my goodness, we conquered German hearts and won those of the world. From Munich to Cologne to Stuttgart, the Scots brought joy, humour and music. German newspapers piled on the praise. One of them wrote,
“Dear Scots: We love you”,
and even the German police thanked the fans for creating a special atmosphere. The impact goes beyond the tournament. VisitScotland reported an 83 per cent surge in German traffic to its website during Euro 2024. Scotland’s image as a warm, vibrant nation was amplified globally. That is soft power at its finest—football as a bridge between cultures. The world cup represents an opportunity to put Scotland on the centre stage and make those connections on the global stage. We will look to make the most of those opportunities.
Our US-based colleagues are already turning their minds to planning and engagement, so that we can maximise the economic, tourism, trade, investment and diplomatic opportunities that come with participating in the finals. Needless to say, I love Keith Brown’s idea for the world’s oldest football to be piped on to the centre stage in the opening ceremony, and I am sure that the Scottish Government will do everything that we can to make that happen.
I want to take a moment to recognise that this is also a really exciting moment in time for women’s football in Scotland, not least the Hibs women, who are bringing to light the Hibees in this chamber. On 28 November, the four home nations submitted a bid to host the FIFA women’s world cup in 2035. This would be a transformational opportunity for women’s and girls’ football, driven by passionate fans, strong media reach and innovative digital engagement. It would ensure not just a successful tournament but growth and reinvestment in the women’s game. What an incentive it is for those young players who are starting their football journey to dream about playing in that tournament in front of a home crowd. It is therefore a very exciting time to be a Scotland fan.
When Scotland walks out in North America next summer, the team will carry not just a football dream but the hopes of a nation that is ready to write a new chapter in its history. This qualification is not the end—it is the beginning. It is a chance to inspire, invest and unite. I wish Steve Clarke and his squad the very best of luck. Scotland is back, and the world will take notice.
That concludes the debate.
Meeting closed at 18:47.Air ais
Decision Time